US President Donald Trump announced on Friday that Boeing will build the Air Force’s future fighter plane, which the Pentagon says will have stealth and penetration capabilities that far exceed those of its current fleet and is essential in a potential conflict with China.
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Known as Next Generation Air Dominance, or NGAD, the manned aircraft will serve as quarterback to a fleet of future drone aircraft designed to be able to penetrate the air defences of China and any other potential foes. The initial contract to proceed with production on a version for the Air Force version is worth an estimated US$20 billion.
The 47th president, who announced the award at the White House with US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Air Force leadership, said with a grin that the new fighter would be named the F-47.
General David Allvin, chief of staff of the Air Force, said: “We’re going to write the next generation of modern aerial warfare with this.” And Hegseth said the future fleet “sends a very clear, direct message to our allies that we’re not going anywhere”.
Critics have questioned the cost and the necessity of the programme as the Pentagon is still struggling to fully produce its current most advanced jet, the F-35, which is expected to cost taxpayers more than US$1.7 trillion over its lifespan.
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In addition, the Pentagon’s future stealth bomber, the B-21 Raider, will have many of the same cutting edge technologies in advanced materials, AI, propulsion and stealth.
